title: Differences in heparan sulfate production in cervical fibroblast cultures from women undergoing term and preterm delivery.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  An extensive remodeling of the human cervical connective tissue occurs throughout pregnancy, with a decrease in the total concentration of collagen and proteoglycans. We hypothesized that the profound changes in proteoglycan production in the cervix would be seen in corresponding cervical fibroblasts as well.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cervical biopsies were obtained from five non-pregnant women, five women undergoing elective Cesarean section, six women directly after spontaneous term parturition and four directly after spontaneous preterm parturition. By explant technique, fibroblasts were cultured from the biopsies. Subcultures of the primary fibroblasts were treated with antibodies to heparan sulfate proteoglycans and labeled with radioactive sulfate. The labeled proteoglycans were purified by ion-exchange chromatography and separated by gel electrophoresis.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Proteoglycan production was reduced by 50% in fibroblasts obtained from term and preterm women. In comparison to equivalent control cultures from non-pregnant women, this decline was significant. Production of the proteoglycans biglycan and perlecan was similar in term partal and preterm partal cell cultures. Biglycan production was significantly reduced (by 40%) and perlecan production was significantly induced (by 60%) compared to control cultures. Fibroblast cultures established from women with preterm delivery had significantly higher production of heparan sulfate proteoglycans than those obtained from non-pregnant donors. Heparan sulfate proteoglycans were localized to cell membranes and intracellular compartments.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The changes in proteoglycan production in the human pregnant cervix can also be seen in corresponding cervical fibroblasts. Term partal and preterm partal cells differed from their non-pregnant counterpart, which suggests a role for proteoglycans in cervical ripening.
authors.affiliation: Department of Experimental Medical Science, BMC, Lund University, Lund, Sweden. anna.akerud@med.lu.se
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Akerud
authors.forename: Aurelija
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dubicke
authors.forename: Maria
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sennstrom
authors.forename: Gunvor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ekman-Ordeberg
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Malmstrom
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002478:Cells, Cultured; D002584:Cervix Uteri / Q000166:cytology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D002852:Chromatography, Ion Exchange / Q000379:methods; D036861:Delivery, Obstetric / Q000379:methods; D004591:Electrophoresis, Polyacrylamide Gel / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D005347:Fibroblasts / Q000378:metabolism*; D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans / Q000096:biosynthesis*; D006801:Humans; D007150:Immunohistochemistry; D007743:Labor, Obstetric / Q000378:metabolism*; D008875:Middle Aged; D007752:Obstetric Labor, Premature / Q000378:metabolism*; D011247:Pregnancy / Q000378:metabolism*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019812:Heparan Sulfate Proteoglycans